To Build a Team
by Zaxarus
Summary: Season 1; Gibbs is working to create a team of his liking. How will Tony, Caitlin and Tim cooperate? sequel to Bocca della verita
1. Chapter 1 Yankee White Part 1

_**Author's Note:**_

_This story describes the events of season 1, the building of Gibb's Team. Because of McGee I plan to include the first 1-2 episodes of season 2 as well. Vivian Blackadder (the female agent of Gibb's team in the JAG/NCIS pilot episodes) will have guest appearances._

_Dr. Tamara Moore is no official NCIS char but my own. To read more about her look into the prologue story "Bocca della Verita"._

_Something about the real NCIS: in reality the NCIS isn't as small as described in the series. According to Wikipedia 2500 members belong to the NCIS, half of them in the center at Quantico. Because of this you'll see more of other teams and assistant directors in my stories._

_I plan to write 1 story about each season._

.

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**Yankee White – Part 1**

_NCIS Bullpen – Evening (Gibb's POV)_

She felt unjustly treated, I knew. And somehow she was right about that. The promotion she got had been a nice way to get loose of Vivian, but everyone realized the reasons behind the action.

In the beginning she had been very eager to join my team and I liked her abilities and her fighting spirit, something she surely needed for this kind of work. But all too fast it became clear that she had only revenge in her mind, revenge for the death of her brother and many other marines that had died in the bombing of the USS Cole. And I couldn't allow this kind of behavior. We had work to do and no one was allowed to fight his little private war.

After some nasty discussions and lectures she had altered her behavior somewhat and at least tried to work with the rest of the team. But somehow she was simply unable to integrate. Her cooperation with Tony DiNozzo had been mediocre at best and with Ducky she had only been able to interact reasonable polite, even if she always declined any invitation apart from the work. But what really infuriated me had been her bad behavior towards Abby, funny, intelligent, bouncing, pig-tailed, caf-pow-holic Abby.

Abby always saw the best in other persons, always at least tried to be nice and open, allowing all kind of stupid and weird idiosyncrasies – perhaps because she had more than one of them herself. But even she had developed a healthy antipathy towards Agent Vivian Blackadder and I trusted Abby's insight into human nature. It always had been a kind of complementary to my own gut feeling.

Because of this I had spoken with Director Morrow and surprisingly easy he could be convinced to switch Vivian to another position. She would go to another team, a very new one and take the position of senior agent, a place Tony held in my team. So it would be a kind of promotion for her and a relief for the mood in my team. But in the same moment it aggravated the urge to find one or two other agents for my own team. More than once Director Morrow had proposed some candidate but always I had declined. Turned it out wrong now that I wished only a very special kind of agent to join my team, that I expected a very special mix of abilities and character? No, the case of Vivian proved me right, I was sure.

.

"Gibbs," Morrow's voice called me back into the presence. My head snapped up to the lone figure looking down into the bullpen. "A new job came just in. The football carrier died on the Air Force One, cause of death is unknown. Air Force One is on the way to Wichita now. Take DiNozzo and Ducky. Transport is waiting. Hurry up!" Before he ended his little speech I was already on my way to Ducky, pressing the shortcut with Tony's number while I hurried down to the morgue.

.

"Oh, FBI is already there," Tony's voice sounded not amused and without showing I agreed with him. As we had been informed most of the secret service – apart from one Agent Todd – had left the plane with the President and switched to the backup. So at least the USSS shouldn't be a problem. But the FBI as expected tried to fetch this case. It was simply to patriotic – a death in the vicinity of the President – to let the case pass by.

"I can't allow you to take the body away before the coroner had a look at it." To hear the voice of Ducky's friend – whom the called on the way to delay the removal of the dead Commander Trabb – nearly caused me to smile but I had to suppress the impulse as we entered the plane and the sight of the waiting FBI agents – and a single young woman in the traditional outfit of the USSS. Young, attractive, intelligent and belligerent dark eyes, was my first impression and while Tony, as expected, instantly took his 'predatory stance number one' I had this feeling about her. Somehow I knew that this case would be far more interesting than I believed a few minutes ago.

"Agent Fornell, you may stay here, but the rest of your team has to wait outside until the M.E. and his … assistants have finished their work." The small pause in her sentence and the slightest smile on her lips as she turned away from FBI Agent Fornell showed me that she wasn't convinced about the announced status of Tony and me as Ducky's 'assistants'. As Fornell ushered his team away with a deep frown I allowed me a hint of a smile.

Some minutes later with Ducky still working on the body of Commander Trabb and Fornell following Tony towards the room where Trabb had been eating with the President immediately before his death, Agent Todd used the opportunity. "Who are you? And don't tell me the bull about assistant coroners." Her hand was near enough to her gun that I had no doubt about her reaction if my answer wouldn't be convincing.

Slowly I showed my badge. "Navy CIS, I got the order to examine the death because he's a dead marine. Do you have any problems with that?"

For a moment she stayed silent. But to my relief she smiled weakly and shook her head. "As long as you produce results …" Changing back to the corpse she continued: "Commander Trabb isn't the standard football carrier. Normally Major Timothy Kerry would be in his place but he got a 24-hour virus and stayed home for this turn. Commander Trabb is really new in the team and I don't know him very well." The implication – that she knew Kerry very well – she didn't express but it was clearly audible. I stored that information away.

With Tony and Fornell returning Ducky announced that he had finished his work and Fornell went to the exit to fetch his men. I sensed Todd's stare as I followed Fornell but she stayed silent until I used the moment Fornell was standing outside to close the door behind him, locking out the FBI team.

"I hope you know what you're doing," I heard Todd's voice behind me with a hint of amusement. "And I hope you know that you'll need my permission to get the pilot to start the engines."

With a bland face I turned around. "I know exactly what I'm doing. And I could always abduct the plane."

The small smile didn't deceive from the fact that her answer had a hint of trueness. "I would regret if I had to shoot you."

It had been the first time I smiled openly at her and she responded in kind. How little could I know that this moment would be the beginning of a year-long cooperation and intense friendship?

.

"You're not looking very well." Ducky's voice caused me to look at Agent Todd and I had to admit that he was right. After the first hour of the flight – with Tony doing his normal work of taking shots and sketches and Agent Todd watching him interested – we all had been silent, gathering energy for the work that awaited us after the landing. Somewhere in between Agent Todd obviously had started to show signs of uneasiness. She was pale and had pearls of sweat on her forehead.

"It is nothing," she tried to soothe Ducky's concern. "Only a little virus, the same Major Kerry had."

"Oh, I thought Major Kerry stayed behind and didn't show up to work?"

"He didn't," Todd only answered, her glare showing that she wasn't eager to go on and after some silent moments Ducky understood and turned away.

Leaning back in her seat Todd stared at me. "Don't you feel the urge to scold me, to lecture me about not having affairs with teammates," she asked me slightly unnerved.

I shook my head. "Rule number 12: never date a co-worker. You certainly know the sense and the repercussions yourself. But you don't belong to my team." For a moment she narrowed her eyes, obviously pondering about the hidden agenda of my words.

Before we had a chance to continue, one of the crewmembers showed up: "Agent Todd? Agent Baer wants to speak you."

"Do you want me to speak with him," I offered to allow her some more time to recuperate, but she declined. "Before that I have to be dead already." She went with him to the communication center, followed by my smile about her reaction. I liked this kind of thinking and spirit.

"He'll order her to deliver the corpse to the FBI after the landing."

I nodded to Tony's statement. "It is time to start phase 2."


	2. Chapter 2 Yankee White Part 2

**Yankee White – Part 2**

_NCIS Bullpen – Midmorning (Tony's POV)_

Not fully able to suppress every sign of my uncomfortableness I was sitting on my chair and watched Gibbs as he spoke with Abby and Todd about the traces we had gathered so far. My ass was still aching from the impact on the road. Fornell's men hadn't been very gentle with me as they realized that it wasn't Commander Trabbs' corpse they'd got in the body bag but me. But the trick had worked and we had got the corpse, not the FBI. Not allowing me any rest Gibbs had sent me afterwards to Trabbs' flat where I collected any foodstuffs lying around for Abby to examine. Now I had a few moments at last for day-dreaming.

Agent Caitlin Todd, Kate … the case had been interesting enough so far. When else did you have the opportunity to visit the Air Force One? When else did you have the opportunity to sit down in the chair of the President of the United States of America and take a photo shot as ducky and I did?

But somehow it was Kate who occupied my mind the most. And it wasn't her body … alright it was also her body that occupied my mind. She was really hot and the moment she said to Gibbs: _I would regret if I had to shoot you_, this was so awesome. I really had to get her number for later.

But there was something else about her, something more far-reaching and something that seemed to be in Gibb's mind too. Kate had been so different from what I expected from an USSS agent. There was nothing dumb about her, nothing inflexible. To the contrary from the beginning she had been eager to learn, even from me and this with her slight antipathy obvious. As a sponge did with water so she absorbed every word we said when we were investigating on board. And she hadn't this dreamy look in her eyes I often showed when Abby tried to explain something.

Another thing had impressed me even more about her: her willingness to cooperate. She wanted to solve the case and had never let the question of jurisdiction interfere in her doing. Instantly she had taken our side – I supposed because of the way Gibbs' behaved towards her – and not only allowed Gibbs his little trick with Fornell but also helped us afterwards in every way possible. Now she was standing over there, speaking with Gibbs about the possibility to get him on board of the substitute airplane because he feared another assault.

Shortly my eyes shifted to the woman at her side. Already on the Air force One Kate had shown how well she got along with Ducky, showed a remarkable patience with his little stories that more than once caused others to wince. And I had only to watch Abby's stance and motions shortly to realize how relaxed she was. That Abby within minutes had taken a liking to Kate – to my surprise much faster than to me as we met the first time – was a clear hint about Kate's character. In this regard – as in many others I silently admitted – I completely followed Gibbs' opinion: if Abby liked someone, she couldn't be a complete ass.

It had been a surprise and a very welcome to add after our mind-boggling experiences with Vivian Blackadder. For some seconds a broad smile crossed my face as the pictures of Kate meeting Vivian entered my mind.

"Anything you want to share, DiNozzo?" Gibbs surprisingly low spoken words interrupted my relaxed composure. Hastily I looked around, noticing that Kate was heavily involved in a discussion with Abby and only shortly looked in my direction with a hint of perplexity on her face.

Likewise low I responded: "She would make a perfect complement to our team."

For a moment he stared in complete silence at me, his eyes never unveiling what he thought about my proposal even if I was sure that he had been thinking about this himself. "Would you be able to behave? Would you be able to adhere to rule number twelve," he asked?

I pondered for some seconds and shrugged. "It had been her to break this rule before. About me: I really don't know. It would be difficult. But I think she would be worth the risk."

He didn't respond but his 'Gibbs' smile number four' – the one he reserved for the moments he was content with his team – showed me that my sincerity had been welcome. Now I had to wait, to wait for Kate's next steps.

.

_On-board toiled – Air Force One (Caitlin's POV)_

My fists hurt, hurt from the dozen hits I had made against Gibbs' chest. My heart hurt as well, hurt from the news, hurt from the memory of Tim. I was unable, unwilling to hold back my tears and a not so small sob escaped my lips.

"I'm sorry, Kate. I had to be sure, had to inform you this way. A terrorist wouldn't be able to blush on command." He kneeled in front of me, holding my hands.

Timothy was dead. Another sob permeated the toilet. After endless examinations Abby had found the reason of Trabbs' death. Someone had used the poison of the Australian taipan to change his jacket into a murderous trap. And now he had used the same perfidious method to kill Tim too. Tony had found him, called to the crime scene by the local police. Tim must have died minutes after I left him at the cafe. My mind wandered back to the time we were sitting there together a last time, joking about this to be our little secret location, unwilling to share it with our friends to reduce the possibility of a chance meeting. I remembered the words as I told him that I wanted to end the affair; that I didn't want to ruin my career with it. He had looked hurt, disappointed but in the end he had been supporting, understanding.

It had been obvious for me that slowly our status of 'friends with benefits' had changed at least for him to something more, something more intensive. How I regretted my words now. They had been meant as I said them, but now I would roll back the time instantly if possible, would allow him to die at least in the security that someone cared about him.

"Kate, get a grip!" Gibbs' words slowly trickled into my mind. "It can't be a bomb. But something has to be the reason that they wanted to switch the machines. Something they got on board with the security low before the change. What are the differences?"

Painfully I got my mind to working. "The most important difference is the locks. They are digital on the other plane and mechanical here." For a moment we stared at each other. I don't know who said it first: "Weapon locker, they have a key for the weapon locker."

From behind the doors shouts could be heard. Something had happened in the journalists' room, something real, a diversion? In this moment I arrived at a decision. It wasn't that Gibbs belonged to the NCIS. It wasn't that even my superior William Bear seemed to at least partially believe him. With all said I wasn't really sure about the reasons but in this moment I decided to trust him, trust Gibbs not only with my own life but more importantly with the life of the President. _Everyone on board had been tested for years, everyone except you_. I had said these words only an hour ago but I knew that there was no reason to test him, to make background checks about Gibbs, simply because Gibbs was … Gibbs.

Pulling out my reserve gun from my ankle holster I pushed it into his hands before I opened the toilet's door.

.

Slowly I left the plane, left behind the location of my greatest success and likewise an awful failure. We had won. After leaving the toilet we stumbled over two journalists using the distraction of another journalist seemingly having a heart attack to cross the corridor towards the President's suite. "Freeze," Gibbs command reached them but instead of following the order they turned around and lifted the weapons they had gotten from the weapon locker. The SIG in my hands bellowed accompanied by the sharper tunes of Gibbs' smaller weapon.

Driven backwards by the bullets' impact our targets were pushed to the ground, a single short salvo of an SMG hitting the floor. To my relief the airplane's hull wasn't breached by the shots and before my colleagues arrived Gibbs handed me my backup weapon with a content smile.

The next hour went by in a blurry. Congratulations of my colleagues and even Baer, words of gratitude by the President – the whole mess making it difficult for me to point out the great part of Gibbs in the rescue. To say that William Baer had been astonished by my petition of release would be an understatement. But he comprehended my motives; that I couldn't work on as before after my errors about Tim; that I needed some distance to gain reassurance.

Fast steps resonated behind me. I hadn't to turn around to know that they belonged to Gibbs.

"I heard you'd been released."

I sighed. "Rumors circulate fast. I had to go after …"

He simply nodded as he walked towards the sports car waiting at the street with a red-haired woman driving. "If you'll pull such a stunt in my team you won't have the chance to go yourself."

Realization hit me and I halted my steps. "Is this a job offer?"

Instead of an answer he only waved and jumped into the car, kissing the woman before they hauled away.


	3. Chapter 3 Sisters

**A/N:**

_Sorry for the delay. I had a short other story in mind these last days that simply had to be written before I had the peace to go on with this project._

**.**

**Sisters**

_Caitlin's Flat (Caitlin's POV)_

While I was working in the kitchen – preparing the nibbles for the evening – I pondered about the last weeks. Has it really been a month with the team already? Three days ago I invited Gibbs, Tony, Ducky and Abby to a new Italian restaurant to celebrate my first month at the NCIS. One month without being shot, without doing any greater mistakes, one month of learning it had been.

It had been a pleasant experience most of the time. Certainly Gibbs wasn't an easy superior and he expected devotedness, willingness to learn and a quick mind. But I was sure I had all these to offer and until now he seemed to be content. Not that he expressed it this way, that wasn't his way. On the other side he never restrained from expressing his displeasure if something went wrong so I concluded from the small number of rebukes that I overall had made a good job so far.

And I really liked his way of leading the team. It was a great change to William Baer. A crooked smile crept on my face as I remembered a moment a week ago. We had gone to a crime scene in the woods. Unused to this kind of working area I arrived with my normal shoes, certainly not the best to walk around there. Gibb's welcome present for me had been a pair of boots. Naturally they had been fitting. And naturally I had felt a bit embarrassed about my obliviousness. But it had been a very kind and thoughtful gesture and he didn't say a word about my unpreparedness.

A look around … I was content with the nibbles so far. Now it was time to gather the ingredients for the welcome cocktails. I hoped Abby would like the thought if not the taste.

To invite Abby to my flat had been in equal parts the result of our fast growing friendship as of my wish to irritate Tony. I saw it as a small pay back for his behavior to invite only Abby – with Tony sitting beside us as I invited her. He had been quite helpful but sometimes I felt the urge to strangle him. "Every bloke could do that," was not a nice answer if you got a compliment for work nice done from your female colleague. And that hadn't been the only time he showed his macho side.

It didn't help that he obviously liked to stare at me and not only … was it more like ogling and I feared that I made the false impression with the story of my affair with Tim Kerry. Certainly I had no inclination of starting a new affair at my new job.

The door-bell called me back from my thoughts about my male colleagues and I went to the door to let enter the one other girl in our boys' club. For a moment I hesitated. Something was not as usual with Abby. Black long skirt, sleeveless shirt, rivet choker, her black hair tamed in pigtails …

"Your shoes, you're not wearing your plateau shoes," I realized at last, responding to Abby's broad smile with my own before I allowed myself to be pulled into a bear hug.

"Yes, I thought these would be more comfortable around your flat." She lifted her right foot to show low heeled sandals she wore today. Naturally they were black and a bit red.

"They look very nice … and cozy. Come in."

While I fetched the cocktails Abby wandered around, inhaling the sight of my flat. "That's a really nice picture of you," she stated as I came back with our glasses in my hands. _Two minutes_, I smiled inwardly, _two minutes in my flat and she already detected the picture_.

I put one glass in Abby's hand and explained: "This is a Dirty Touch. I hope you like it."

Turning around the glass Abby stated the obvious: "It is black. It can't be bad."

"It contains licorice, banana, cherry and vodka." We toasted. "Welcome Abby, I'm really happy to have you here."

"And without Tony," she added, hiding her grin behind her glass, sipping. "This is good. Perhaps a little less banana and a tad more cherry next time," she pondered, ignoring my grimace about mentioning Tony.

"We don't want to speak about our macho boys this evening."

Shortly a frown appeared on Abby's face. "Tony isn't so bad. He can be really nice."

"Mmm, yes. But sometime he needs a slap to his neck. Luckily Gibbs undertakes this duty." Not sure how Abby would react I decided to go on with a question. "You know him better than me. I'm not sure about how Gibbs feels … you know: women in this job. It is mostly a boys' club and back at the USSS these things were complicated."

The pout in Abby's face was very cute. "I hope you don't ask this seriously. He wanted you in his team. Certainly he has no problems about that. Perhaps he'll be a bit more protective about you but that's his way. You'll see the first time there is a case about a female victim. He gets quite agitated if someone hurts a woman … or a kid."

"Sorry Abby, I'm …" I hesitated, unsecure how to explain.

Vigorously she rubbed my arm. "Don't apologize. Wait, see and expect the best from Gibbs. And give Tony a chance."

I sighed. "I really want but … it is not so easy. See: I had an affair at the USSS with a co-worker. That was the reason I left and came to the NCIS. I don't want to make the false impression. If I'm too kind to him I fear he'll think …"

"He won't," Abby denied. "There is still rule number 12 and he'll adhere to it, he promised to Gibbs as they spoke about you." Clasping her mouth Abby realized that she had said too much. For a moment I wanted to ask, but I decided against and changed the subject of our conversation, pointing to the picture.

"A friend sketched it in Rome as we met the first time. It is me on the Tiber Bridge. I had a job there, protecting the Secretary of the State on the G8-summit. Was quite interesting and Rome is really worth a vacation. Not that I had much spare time there. But at least we had an afternoon with a fabulous Italian ice and restaurant visit and a few days later we had been at the beach."

Abby smirked. "And was he … you know?"

I blushed a bit. "Abby, it was a she. And certainly she wasn't 'you know'. We were only friends. I'm catholic and she's straight." For a moment I wondered about my own strange choice of words. "She had been in Rome for a few weeks, perhaps her last journey before … she was pregnant you have to know." I went silent for a moment before I continued. "It is a bit weird to think that now she's a mother, her child should be nearly two now. She said it would be a girl and she had already a name for her, but she didn't want to say something about being a bad omen to call the name before the birth."

"Have you seen her since then?" Abby didn't seem to have a problem with the thought of bad omens but I already learned of her slightly superstitious side.

"No, I don't even know where she lives. Yes, it is a bit strange but she was a very strange person, very likable but strange nonetheless." I pointed towards the little box on the sideboard. "That was her farewell gift."

Abby picked it up and tried to open. "It is locked."

"Yes, it is," I smiled. "I don't know what it contains. She wanted to open it only if fate leads us together again one day."

"That's really sweet." She put it back on the sideboard. "Now: have you got some nice films for our evening?"

.

Hours later, trying to fetch my sleep, I thought about the evening. We had seen the Murnau film 'Nosferatu' and as I hoped Abby had been delighted about my choice. It had been a really nice evening with the eccentric scientist. But this I had expected already. Since my first times I spent hours in her lab, helping her with some work, we seemed to have quite a connection and I hoped that she shared my wish to become good friends.

Why – I shortly wondered – had it never been this way with my sister Rachel? Was it her occupation as a shrink? No, that alone can't be the reason. Abby had a degree in psychology too and this had never been a theme so far. But Rachel always wanted to analyze me. And even if she did this for the reason of helping me with any assumed problems I had, it somehow disturbed me. Every time we met I had the feeling that I had to be cautious around her, something I really didn't like.

With the picture of my new big, pigtailed, weird, crazy, fabulous intelligent sister Abby in my mind I slipped into slumber.


	4. Chapter 4 Sea Dogs

_**A/N**_

_**Sorry for the delay. The last week has been really stressful. I'm not wholly content with this chapter but I wanted to at least going on a bit. The next one will be about McGee.**_

**High Seas**

_On the way to the USS Enterprise (Gibbs' POV)_

_Pigs, I'm working with pigs. _

Somehow my mind was drawn back to the moment where Kate had uttered these words. It had been on another ship, another case. Tony had been in Puerto Rico for a few hours and on his return showed the presents he'd got for Kate and me. I looked down, unable to fully suppress the smile on my lips. _This is a two-parter, Kate_, had been Tony's explanation and somehow he was correct even if the bikini consisted of a slip and a hat instead of a top. Not that a top comparable to the slip would have hidden anything. No, Kate hadn't been amused, her mood not improving as I asked her if there would be a chance to see her wearing it.

I liked this side of her, her ability to cope with Tony's flirting, to not back away. This backbone had shown too on other occasions more than once in the last weeks again; the last opportunity had been our discussion about this online player and the question of suicide. Kate had explained why she didn't accept the possibility, why the fact of him and his family being catholic would play a role in a decision about suicide. And she had been right. _Have an opinion, explain the opinion, defend your opinion but be able to cope with critic and perhaps to back down if you're proven wrong_. Something along this line I expected from my agents and Tony as well as Kate fulfilled these expectations.

Another side she had shown in the house of the victim's parents while Tony with all his bravado had paddled back. We hadn't often to deliver bad news to the families of homicide victims. In most cases the police already had informed the families before we arrived. But this time it had been our duty and Tony was quite eager to leave it to Kate. And she had not only accepted the task but performed without fault. _Compassionate and brave you had to be in those moments_ as I knew from too many experiences before.

"I don't understand why Ducky gave me this cricket ball for Burley." Kate's voice tore me away from my thoughts and I showed a thinly smile.

"Burley is a real sportsman, has ever been. There are only a very small number of sports he never tried and cricket is one of those. Ducky on contrary had been a cricket player in school."

"And Burley belonged to your team before? That's the reason he called you boss?"

Hiding my amusement about the sour expression of Tony – he had shown some signs of envy since Burley showed up some hours ago – I nodded in Kate's direction. "Yes, he was in my time some years ago. Was a good man before he tried something other. I hope he didn't change."

.

_On the USS Enterprise (Caitlin's POV)_

Stan Burley had phoned Gibbs' and asked for help about one PO Wilkes, a crew member of the USS Enterprise. Obviously this Wilkes had shown signs of drug use but his medical records didn't show any signs of this before. Now we were on our way to the carrier and examine the situation.

There were certainly some butterflies in my stomach as we neared the USS Enterprise. I hadn't been on a ship of this size before and Tony had tried his best to make me uneasy, told me about how easy it was to get lost on a ship of this size. Or his pour jokes about thousands of men without any women around on this boat … _not a boat, yes Gibbs, it is a ship I know_.

Rumbling the helicopter landed and we hurried away with our luggage. The next minutes went in a blurry. Passages, rooms, airlocks we passed, crewmen greeted, once we had to evade two of them carrying some case. I tried hard to remember the signs at the walls, listening intensely to Gibbs' explanations, unsure if I would really find my way later. The expectation of getting lost on this ship and the assuredly following broadest smirk on Tony's face … no I couldn't allow this to happen.

"This is your room for your stay. Make yourself welcome." Neither the Petty Officer that was showing us around nor the officer leaving his cabin to us showed any signs of enthusiasm.

"Are we always this welcome on ships or is it only you, Gibbs?"

He only shrugged to my question, but after a moment he answered with a drily tone: "Nobody likes to have us prying around, poking into every corner. And on a ship nearly everybody has something to hide and if it is only his rapture for Cuban cigars."

I looked around in the small cabin: a bed, a couch, a table with two chairs, two lockers, a tiny bath. For a moment I wondered how we would spend the night but Gibbs' voice brought me back to the presence.

"Kate, you'll speak with Petty Officers Niles and Schrewe. Ask them about Wilkes, if there had been any signs of drug use before or any other explanation they have for the events. Tony, you'll go to their CO, CPO Reyes. From his personal file I assume he's a very competent but tough leader, so spare him your usual jokes and try to be an agent."

I grabbed my notepad and hurried towards the quarters of Wilkes, Niles and Schrewe, a broad grin on my face as I thought about Tony playing agent and not a playboy on vacation. Left, right, I meandered thru the passages with the grin never leaving me. Another door, I giggled as the picture of Tony … _shit_. A crewman stood in front of me, his hands working on pulling back his pants into place. A fast look around … the men's urinal … _great Kate, real great_. There was no use in trying to hide my blush that deepened as I saw the grin in his face. He harrumphed before he asked a bit too friendly: "gone astray? May I be of any help?"

A minute later I was on the right path again but still unable to soothe my nerves. _He'll know it, somehow Tony will know it. And he'll not leave me alone before he knows all the embarrassing details. I'm so … arg_.

.

"He would never do that," PO Niles stated vehemently. "Wilkes is a fourth generation navy, there is nothing imaginable that he would jeopardize his career with something like drugs or alcohol. The hardest drug I use is caffeine and Wilkes is the same about that."

Niles seemed quite honest about that and thinking about the cramped space on board, the necessity to be around each other most of the time, I was willing to believe him. But if they both didn't use drugs how had it been possible that Wilkes showed up in the freezer under the influence of meth?

Slowly I went back to the boys with my news and hoped that they'll find some sense in them.

.

_Leaving the USS Enterprise (Tony's POV)_

"Five years I had been in Gibbs' Team," Burley had explained. _Five years_, I pondered. A few weeks ago I just finished my second year with the NCIS. How would it be after five years? To my relief and lessening my jealousy Burley had admitted that he had needed a longer time than two years to reach the some contact I had with Gibbs. _He must really like you_. I stared at Gibbs who was kind of meditating with closed eyes and a small smile on his face and wondered if Burley was right.

Gibbs had reason to smile. After some setbacks we had breached the secret at last. Reyes had been so eager to have the best team on board that he had started to dope his men with meth, veiled as caffeine tablets. Even without the fact that Reyes had killed Wilkes to conceal the traces Gibbs would have been eager to solve this case. He despised superiors who betrayed the loyalty and trust of their men. Those officers had a place just behind children-hurter and women-abuser on his hate-list.

Five years, I sighed, turning to Kate. In a few days she would end her first quarter in our team. Gibbs would have to make his first assessment of her capabilities. I had no doubt that he would score her a triple-A. As Kate noted my stare I smirked and deepened my grimace as she blushed. Her intermezzo with the men's urinal had done much to improve my mood and I really had no intend to tell her about my own problems with the passage-maze on board or that I in this moment had completely other things in my mind.

Kate had endured my silly flirtation with humor so far, only reacting annoyed when she surprised me red-handed rummaging thru her purse or examining her cell phone. I hadn't pressed the matter and hoped our relation would improve in the future, growing from colleagues to friends as it obviously had between her and Abby. They met quite often, exchanging stories and doing movie nights. Twice they had even in one of the clubs Abby liked so much.

Once Abby had suggested that I should diminish my flirtation and act more like a big brother, but until now I had no intent to follow her advice. We'll see in the future how our relation changes and another smile crossed my face as I remembered the Puerto-Rican two-parter I had saved for her. _Someday I'll see you wearing it, Kate_.


	5. Chapter 5 Sub Rosa Part 1

_**A/N**_

_ dg101: Thank you for your reviews_

_Now, as promised, it is time to introduce McGee._

_It is only a small chapter; I hope to continue tomorrow._

.

.

**Sub Rosa – Part 1 **

.

_NCIS (Tony's POV)_

"No, don't touch anything. Wait for our arrival and take care that nobody pollutes any hints."

Whirling around in my chair to address Kate I explained: "This Agent McGee is a real newbie: eager and unsecure. This will be fun."

Instead of an answer Kate sneezed intensely two times, a frown blemishing her pretty face as she realized my stare:" What?"

"If you caught a cold, stay away from me on the ride."

As expected my order only caused a smile: "As it seems even a chill has it good sides." She followed me outdoors where Gibbs and Ducky were already waiting. No Jackson in sight, no ME-Car? Impatiently Gibbs waved Kate to enter our van and I took the driver seat, answering her unspoken question: "We can't use the pathology of the armed forces in Norfolk without a two-week-latency, but Agent McGee promised us another solution. I hope he's right, I hope for him."

I showed my sweetest smile as Kate responded: "Not holding such a promise would give him some penalty points with Gibbs."

Her voice hadn't been silent enough and I worked hard to suppress a giggle as she reacted with a wince to Gibbs' remark: "He wouldn't be the only one with penalty points today." Certainly not for the first time Kate wished that she hadn't dropped Gibbs' Coffee this morning. He had reacted … quiet … shocked. _To see Gibbs without his morning coffee … unknown waters_.

It was funny not to be the one on the bad end of his anger this time. Remembering the many times I had been slapped by Gibbs – something he never did with Kate or Abby – I blinked very happy in Kate's direction, which she reciprocated with a kind of growl.

.

_Norfolk - Harbor (Tony's POV)_

"Over there is the victim," McGee showing us the way he was exactly what I had expected him to be. His frame showed that he had never been a real sportsman, certainly nothing more than a run or an hour in a fitness club found a place in his schedule besides endless hours with books and computers. A real braniac he was. The protective mask he wore was nearly as funny as the color of his skin as we neared the corpse. Alright, it wasn't really a pretty sight. Someone had killed the man and shoved him into a barrel with cleansing agent. Most of the skin and flesh was already destroyed.

"He can't have been long in this barrel, mostly two days; else the body would have been completely destroyed. Even so it will be difficult to identify him." Ducky went to work, preparing the corpse to be taken away. A few meters away, mostly out of sight of the corpse, McGee had so far suppressed his urge to gag, denying me another moment of happiness. Storing away his cell phone he explained to Ducky: "You may use the pathology of the local FBI-Bureau." As he realized Gibbs' stare McGee continued, his voice slowly dying away, unsecure which problem there could be about this teamwork? "I know some of them from our NBC sessions and they were willing to lend us a hand. What? Shouldn't I …"

McGee sighed deeply as Gibbs lessened his mental grip with a small smile. "It is okay as long as they don't interfere."

"What is this NBC, McGee?" Kate asked while we watched Ducky finish his work.

"Norfolk Brain Club," he answered, his expression showing that he expected us to react in an oh-yes-that-club reaction. "It is an unofficial club with members from several units in Norfolk, NCIS and FBI only two of them. To be a member you have to hold at least two bachelor degrees. And one of them has to be in a science field."

_Braniac_, I had known this. I suppressed a sigh. _So my sports degree wouldn't allow me to join them, what a shame_.

"And you have degrees in …," Kate asked, the answer coming from Gibbs: "Master of Computer Criminology from the MIT and a Bachelor in Biology Technics." _A master from the MIT_, that was worse than expected.

.

_Norfolk – FBI Bureau (Tamara's POV)_

Leaning against the cool concrete wall I watched the arriving and departing vehicles. It was a bit boring to stay here but it helped to ease my mind and certainly I wasn't overstrained with my load of work. Since my former mentor had denied me the possibility to work as a profiler in Quantico I had been in Norfolk as a FBI consultant, doing the standard examinations of the local agents and sometimes helping with the interrogations. In the last months Agent Michaels, my immediate superior, had broadened the spectrum of my work. Obviously he thought me especially valuable in handling the families of victims. And he had begun some kind of loaning service, practically hiring me out to the other services in Norfolk.

Especially the smaller ones like the NCIS needed specialists like me on site if they wanted to lessen the number of official trips to Washington. Naturally the higher echelons avoided any contact with me – obviously they feared what I could learn about them, as if I were a kind of information broker – but in the last months more than one junior agent had found his way into my bureau.

One of them had been Tim McGee. I had seen him a few times before in the NBC but only after that accident I had spoken more than a few sentences with him. It had been a dangerous car accident and while he had only been lightly injured the driver had died. His superior ordered him to undertake some sessions with a psychologist and someone had recommended me.

From the beginning we had a very special connection. Denying the fact that he was of my own age he seemed to see me as a kind of nice aunt and even after the few sessions I deemed appropriate we started to meet once a week. Despite his wonderful intellect and broad knowledge he somehow was still a boy, insecure and searching his way. I became his confessor, audience to his stories about his daily work, his successes and especially his problems with his co-workers … and the ladies.

Tim was one of the very few people who knew about the … team … I was interested in. This fact alone showed how intense our relationship was. It had become a funny diversion to speak with him about the women in our bureaus, exchanging opinions about their appearance and intellect, something we both especially appreciated. I even had put him on two dates with promising candidates but so far we … he … hadn't been lucky.

.

I shoved off the wall as the announced van arrived, waving his driver towards the ramp. The elder man at his side had to be Dr. Donald Mallard, Chief Medical Examiner of the NCIS … Ducky. I smiled. I had heard much about him and his skill. He should be very good to hold this position for so long. Now I would witness his work … live and in color.

.

"Too bad that nearly the complete skin had been destroyed. Only a few scraps could be saved. This one I think to be especially interesting."

I leaned over his shoulder and looked towards the piece of skin he held with a pincette. The last two hours had been interesting and I didn't regret any minute of my free time that I spend with Ducky. He was able to do something most of my colleagues were unsuccessful with: make me laugh; not only smile or smirk, but real loud laughing. It felt so good and I dreaded the hour he would leave again.

"This color, Ducky, I think … could it be a kind of tattoo?" My question was answered with a nod.

"Exactly my thought; I'll send it to Abby for further examination."

"Abby … you mean Abigail Sciuto, yes? I heard about her. She seems to be really good at her job."

Ducky padded my arm. "She is, Tammy, she is." I winced only a tiny bit. More than one colleague had been on the receiving end of my fist in a training lesson for calling me Tammy but somehow I couldn't be angry at Ducky.

_Let's see what Abby think about it. _


	6. Chapter 6 Sub Rosa Part 2

_**A/N**_

_I have to admit that this chapter doesn't contain very much of my own ideas. But the episode is very important for the team-building and it contains so many very nice and amusing moments that I really had to use it._

**.**

**Sub Rosa – Part 2**

_Norfolk Harbor_

"What an ass," Caitlin stomped around the small place in front of Captain Veitch's bureau. After Abby's confirmation about the color on the skin being a dolphin tattoo Gibbs had realized that their victim would be a submarine crewman. McGee, despite his awful disorganized working space had been able to gather the information that only one submarine, the USS Philadelphia, had left Norfolk in the last two days. Their crew, at least if one believed the official paperwork, was complete and so they had the suspicion that someone wanted to get on board of that submarine under the cover of a new crewman, one with an unknown face to the rest of the crew on board.

"Be careful, Captain Veitch can be difficult," McGee had warned them and he had been right. For a short moment Caitlin remembered how Gibbs shortened the distance between his face and McGee's before he asked: "And you think that I can't be difficult too?" Gulping and with a pale face McGee had responded "I never doubted that, Sir" and Caitlin hoped that in this moment Gibbs was very difficult to handle.

"This ass," Caitlin repeated to herself, suppressing the dire urge to kick something or better someone. How could it be that even now there were moments like this, reminding her of the 18th century with men doing the dangerous work and women expected to sip tea?

"She can't enter the Philadelphia, she's a woman," Captain Veitch had responded as Gibbs demanded a helicopter for the transport of him and her onto the submarine. With a stony face Gibbs had ordered her to leave the bureau to discuss the matter with the squadron commander. The case rattled as Caitlin kicked it, at last unable to suppress her anger any further.

"The case is innocent," Gibbs' snickering remark startled Caitlin.

"It is unfair, Sir," Caitlin declared as she followed Gibbs who left the place with wide strides. "Gender shouldn't be an issue anymore and clearly I'm more qualified than Tony, at least for this job," she added as Tony's smile was shortly accompanied by a glare. Following Gibbs with her shorter legs as fast as possible, she was unable to see the broad grin on his face and so his question surprised her only the more.

"Do you suffer from claustrophobia?"

"What? No, I don't," she responded, not quite understanding what he was going for.

"Good, gather your items, we're leaving in 30. Tony you'll stay with McGee and assure our communication. And have an eye on Ducky."

After the last stressful hour this was the point where Caitlin was able to take some deep and relieved breath, showing Tony her broadest smile which he, to her surprise, responded openly. It was time for travel.

.

With Gibbs and Caitlin on their way to the USS Philadelphia Tony returned to McGee's bureau to help him prepare the needed communication lines towards the Philadelphia. They wouldn't be able to speak with Gibbs as long as the submarine was merged but he had to be ready all the time and so he ordered McGee to bring two cots into the room while he assured himself that Ducky was okay and then started some small-talk with Abby. He always liked to speak with her but he never had seen her as a possible date.

So the question of McGee startled him a bit. "How does she look like; Abby I mean."

Tony stared intensely at McGee, taking in the appearance of the younger agent with his very boyish looks, the very orderly trappings and his very polite manners. For some long moments he pondered about how these two would be around each other. They had, in his opinion, nothing in common. So instead of answering to the question he responded: "You're not in her league, McGee."

With a bit of hurt in his eyes McGee stared back. He didn't like Tony very much. Obviously the older agent was the typical dandy type, spending way too much money on his clothes and far too little time with books. He always hated this kind of men; even in school there had been a large number of them. Only on the MIT had been a short time …

"And why is that so, Agent DiNozzo?" McGee grumbled.

_Obviously I hit a nerve_, Tony smirked. "Have you ever thought about piercings or a tattoo? No? Then there you have your answer."

.

_USS Philadelphia (Caitlin's POV)_

Since we entered the first helicopter I was grinning. I knew that my behavior was a bit childish but I couldn't help to feel happy: happy about the fact that Gibbs had stood up for me, happy about Captain Veitch's allowance to enter the submarine and happy about the whole experience. We had departed for the USS Enterprise with a large helicopter, switching to a smaller one for the trip to a frigate near the Philadelphia and now I was sitting in a small boat waiting for the appearance of the submarine. I overlooked the ogling crewmen; I overlooked the small smirk on Gibbs' face. I was only happy now, suppressing the thoughts about the sad reason of our voyage.

With an awful mass of foam the forward tip of the USS Philadelphia broached the surface only seconds after I asked "Where is the submarine," having this feeling that I sounded like a five-year-old asking her father "Are we there, yet?"

Only seconds after we entered the submarine the hatch had been closed and we started to submerge again. The short conversation with Commander Peters showed us that he wasn't convinced about our theory of a black sheep within his crew and that he feared to lose the planned dogfight with another submarine. "I wagered a bottle of finest vodka", _yes, Commander, that is so important, I really understand … not_.

The COB – Chief of the Boot, the most senior petty officer on board, as Gibbs explained – hadn't been more welcoming, but at least no one complained openly about my presence.

Fifteen new crewmen had joined the USS Philadelphia in Norfolk. Ten of them we had been able to separate on our way to the submarine thru their ethnic background or their dental chart. This left five to interview and so Gibbs had ordered them to stay ready with the COB responsible to prohibit any discussions between them.

.

"We have to surface, Commander. I need to speak with my agent in Norfolk," Gibbs demanded from Commander Peters. I followed the discussion still glaring at Gibbs for his behavior. After the interview with the five crewmen – two of them obviously hiding something – without a secure result, the Commander had ordered us to stay in our cabin. It shouldn't have been a surprise for me that Gibbs hadn't intended to follow this order but why couldn't he simply ask me to distract the COB standing watch in the passage? Why had he to fill me up with water until I was pressed to use the loo? _Gibbs, you really owe me for this_.

"We can't; we're nearly in range to activate our torpedoes. If we surface now we'll lose the other submarine."

"I think catching this imposter is way more important than winning a training-fight," Gibbs scolded the commander. I felt certain that he wasn't winning any brownie points with the commander and could only hope that we solved the riddle before Peters lost his already very thin patience.

.

_Norfolk (Tony's POV)_

"_May I ask you a question?"_

"_Certainly, McGee. You haven't to ask my permission … at least as long you don't ask her for a date," I had answered, staring at the beautiful Lieutenant who was in charge of the personnel office. _

"_No problem, she isn't my type."_

Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised but I was. If this classical beauty wasn't his type … perhaps he had more in common with Abby than I supposed before. No, certainly not.

But his question about former employees of the office had led us to this very promising hint. As it seemed Joshua Fox had been working in the office and used his job to alter the file of one of the new crewmen, switching the original photo with one of his own. Now we were waiting for results of Abby's program run. She compared photos of the crews where the newly transferred had been working before and hoped for a match.

"Tony," Abby's voice snatched me from my daydreams and the urgent happiness declared: I've found something.

.

_Returning from the USS Philadelphia (Caitlin's POV)_

Finally I had time to close my eyes. Who had expected this job to close with this surge of adrenalin? After Abby's discovery which proved that PO Drew wasn't the one he pretended to be, it should have been easy to arrest him, at least if he hadn't been forewarned and used the small amount of time to commit suicide.

We had found him in his cabin with a plastic bag over his head, certainly a terrible way to leave this life. The corpse had been ushered away and brought into the freezer to conserve him until we arrived back in Norfolk.

This had been the moment for Abby's most important discovery: the imposter had been working on an ecologist terrorist attack. In his mad mind he somehow decided that killing this crew with sarin gas would somehow help the local whale population, a connection my mind was totally unable to comprehend. The gas had been in a capsule and Abby, examining a second one found in Fox' house, explained that it used a bimetal trigger. Getting cold this trigger would release the gas. For a moment it was funny to see Gibbs, the small wheels in his mind wildly rotating as he pondered about the information.

Then came some of the most rushed minutes in my life as Gibbs and the COB pulled the already ballooning body from the freezer and put him into a torpedo tube; releasing him into the sea before the sarin from the capsule in his body was able to stream into the submarine.

I really hoped to never again experience such a moment. _Abby, I owe you a drink … or a bottle_.

.

_**A/N**_

_Next chapter it is time for some dating._


	7. Chapter 7 Dating Tattoos Part 1

**Dating Tattoos Part 1**

With Washington disappearing in the distance Abby couldn't help to feel happy and a bit silly. It was Friday early afternoon and she had quite the intent to savor every single hour of this weekend. Her trip in this helicopter was the icing on the cake, sparing her some terrible hours in a hot van. She had no idea how Tim had been able to arrange this kind of trip; this little secret was only another point on her list of information gathering for the following days.

"_I had never expected that you would date someone without any body decoration, piercings or tattoos, Abby," Tony had wondered as they spoke about this weekend._

At first it had only been his voice: warm, kind and honest. These traits she liked very much in men and hadn't often the opportunity to experience. The information she got about his scientific degrees and the off-handed remarks of Tony had piqued her interest. Ducky had some kind words about Tim's character and even Gibbs was willing to utter some compliments, even if they had been only very small ones. But that was his style, nothing other she would have expected. So they had spent some hours chatting, mailing and using their web-cams to get to know each other before Tim at last had gathered the courage to ask her out on a kind of date.

"_Certainly, I'm not a snob, Tony," Abby had responded, continuing with a small grin. "And even if: Tim had … remedied this small problem."_

Naturally he had been freaking out to hear what kind of tattoo Tim had undergone, but Abby had only shared a smile with Kate and stayed silent.

"_I think it is very sweet of him," Kate stated a while later and Abby had agreed_.

But even if she had been willing to answer Tony's question: she simply didn't know.

"_If you want to know you have to come to Norfolk and take a look. And don't forget a towel and swimsuit."_

The thought of meeting him at the beach and taking a look, made Abby nearly giggle. Only the presence of these two FBI agents caused her to suppress this emotion. The picture of Gibbs crossed her mind. Fortunately he didn't know that Tim had arranged for a FBI helicopter of all things to pick her up. Obviously it had been ordered to delay the normal flight and give her a ride to the FBI compound in Norfolk where someone would be waiting from the NBC. That Tim was willing and able to join such a club even if it was only an informal one, added some additional spokes on Abby's sympathy ladder.

All too fast Abby could see Norfolk with its harbor and the beach. Drawing a circle in the air they neared the FBI compound and landed on the roof. A small-framed woman around forty-five with a harsh hairstyle and a not very fitting summer dress waited for her, reaching out her slim hand with a sour expression. Her eyes wandered about Abby and her face showed that she wasn't impressed in the slightest.

"I'm Dr. Jackson. Please follow me." The plea was stated like an order and Abby instantly disliked the woman. Hopefully this wasn't a sign of how the weekend was to proceed. Forcing herself to relax she followed the woman thru the compound to the parking area where an open SUV was waiting for them. A large, broad-shouldered woman was leaning against the car, relishing the sun with closed eyes. Beige linen pants and a long-sleeved tee veiled most of the athletic body and below the kepi with a nearly unreadable EVMS written on it Abby was able to see long fire-read hair. A broad smile showed on Abby's face as she remembered the praising of Ducky. This had to be Tamara Moore. A woman that got Ducky's instant sympathy had more than a few brownie points to start with her.

As the woman opened her eyes and pushed herself away from the car she reminded Abby of a tigress with her strong and graceful motions. She smiled and her joy reached her eyes. This was nothing polite but real delight to see her. "You must be Abigail Sciuto. I heard so much about you."

For a split second Abby winced as she heard her utter the whole name but she hastily tried to suppress the emotion. The redhead's eyes wandered about Abby's body, taking in the visible tattoos, the hair style and lingered a tad too long on Abby's 'assets'. "I hope you heard only good things about me. And please call me Abby."

The redhead frowned and shook her head: "No, sorry, no good things." Waiting for a second to give Abby time for a small pout she continued: "I only heard marvelous things about you." For a moment both women stared at each other, the redhead watching as the words trickled into Abby's brain, the dark and full voice sending shivers along her back. _How could someone pronounce a single word – marvelous – so damned sexy, _Abby wondered?

"But … how can you mutilate your splendid name? You know what? You let me call you Abigail and I allow you to drive my little baby." Pointing towards the SUV the redhead reached out the car key. After some seconds of pondering, Abby agreed with a small nod and smile. She took the key but before she was able to back away, Abby felt herself pulled into a kind of bear hug, her shoes even shortly leaving the ground. The hug ended after some seconds. "Welcome to Norfolk, Abigail. Have a splendid weekend." Abby grinned happily. It had been a long time since someone not only endured her hugging but even started it.

Dr. Jackson, who had stayed silent for the whole exchange, the sour expression never leaving her face, entered the car while Abby prepared to drive. She really liked to drive and that her copilot was willing to surrender the steering wheel was very sweet.

Listening to her orders Abby steered the car thru the streets of Norfolk. After a while she asked: "Do you know how Tim was able to arrange my flight?"

The redhead snickered. "He was a bit afraid because of the long drive you would have to do. Tim asked me if I could help somehow. So I … asked a former colleague." Pondering for a moment and looking back to make sure that Dr. Jackson wasn't listening, she continued: "At first he wasn't so helpful, but then I reminded him of my knowledge about his … let us say 'extra-curricular activities'."

Abby paled a little and stared at her copilot. "You blackmailed him?"

The redhead tsked a little. "Blackmail is such a harsh word for this kind of exchange. And it isn't my fault that he left Norfolk after his promotion and that he is now my patient no more. Naturally I would never tell his wife but … you know: bad conscience is a strong motivator sometimes."

Abby grinned. "You're a bad girl, Dr. Moore."

"You may call me Tamara. At least as long you behave towards Tim. I won't have to repair him should you break his heart."

Abby stayed silent for some minutes. "So … you're a shrink, yes?"

Tamara showed a face of mock disgust. "Don't ever use the fucking s-word, Abigail. I'm … a friend … consultant … big sister … pathfinder." Her voice became a gentle waft. With a broad smile she continued: "And the political correct term is 'consultant', you know?"

"Good, Sister Tamara it is then." Abby responded with a grin, which Tamara acknowledged with a graceful nod. They reached the beach at last and while Dr. Jackson stalked away to join the rest of the NBC members, Tamara gripped Abby's arm to stop her. Her face now was much more earnest and her voice told Abby that this wasn't meant as a joke.

"Abby, I really hope you two have a nice weekend. I helped Tim a bit with the planning and I think you'll be positively surprised. But I have a demand: when the time comes to break up, then do it honorable, open and gentle. He is a very sweet and kind guy and easy breakable. If you hurt him, I'll visit you in Washington and shave you bald. I'm sure you know how long you would need to grow back these beautiful pigtails."

It hurt a little but the serene tone did much to soothe Abby. "How do you know that we'll break up?"

"You will. I know him and I think I've got a good impression of you. You'll be a cute pair, but at least Tim isn't ready for a long-term relationship now. He needs … maturing. Enjoy your time together and when the time comes please try to stay friends. Tim needs a friend like you. And he'll be good for you to." For a minute Tamara and Abby stared at each other. "But remember: you'll break his hart and snip-snap." Tamara made a scissor-like move before her expression switched to a broad grin.

"Yes, ma'am, Sister Tamara, ma'am, I'll remember." Abby executed a mock salute, earning her a punch against the upper arm. She squealed: "Ouch, I bruise easily."

Following Tamara towards the beach Abby sighed as the redhead stated: "And don't fear: these braniacs you only have to endure this afternoon. It is only to see that Tim's date isn't simple fantasy. After that you'll see nothing of us and much more of Tim, I hope."

Tamara showed a lecherous grin and Abby blushed a little bit. "That's a shame. Perhaps we can meet again, Tamara?" The redhead pondered a moment before she responded with a happy nod: "I would like that."


	8. Chapter 8 Dating Tattoos Part 2

**Dating Tattoos Part 2**

The sand on the beach was too coarse-grained and moist for Abby's liking but for one afternoon she could endure this. At least the sky was blue, the sun burning down and the waiting group seemed to be already in a good and playful mood. At least most of them were, because a handful had gathered around Dr. Jackson seemingly working on souring milk with their faces.

Blankets covered the ground, cooling bags stood ready and a few sun umbrellas tried to give a bit of shelter from the blazing sun. Knowing only a few of the around twenty people and most of those only thru web-cam Abby was relieved to see Tim McGee. Seeing he in real all the more reminded her of a boy in his teens and how he stopped two steps away from her, insecure how to greet Abby, only intensified the impression. A wicked smile on her face and mirth in her eyes Abby waited a few seconds how he would continue.

"Err … hey Abby, nice to see you." His smile was as great as was his blushing. Reminding of a frisky kitten Abby stalked nearer and her grin deepened as McGee's eyes widened and he started to move away, only to feel someone barging into him and shoving him into Abby's hug. "Oh sorry, I'm so clumsy sometimes." Tamara didn't make any effort to hide her mischievous smile as she walked away leaving a stunned McGee in Abby's hugging arms.

.

Abby watched Tamara leaving the water, the swimsuit clinging to her frame and accentuating the well-formed and athletic body. In contrary to most of the people around she obviously spent a great amount of time with sports of all kind. Even Tim and a few others who tried to stay in form hadn't nearly this kind of body. Not that Abby was dissatisfied with Tim's looks. Tamara drew many stares from her colleagues but seemed oblivious to this behavior.

"The water is really nice but now I need a break," Tamara whispered as she bumped on the blanket near Abby and Tim. Shortly her eyes wandered to Tim, switched to Abby with a wicked smile and back to Tim's bathers. Abby followed the stare with an equally wicked smile and concentrated not for the first time on the tattoo. Luckily McGee had closed his eyes and had at least for the moment forgotten the former jokes and lecherous comments.

An hour ago as he had undressed, a tattoo become visible. It had the form of a long lightning flash and was composed of several scientific formulas from math, physics and chemistry. Abby had to go very near to be able to read them – obviously just the intended reason – and was delighted with the idea. It started near the spine with a well-known E=mc² and continued around the waist with ever more complicated formulas. The last part of the flash until now was veiled thru the bathers and Abby's grin showed her intend to explore them before her return on Sunday.

Silently switching to a position touching Tamara's side Abby whispered: "Was it your idea? This tattoo I mean."

Tamara sighed and swayed her head back and forth: "In parts, yes. I steered him in the right direction with some questions. At first he wanted to have a tattoo uttering 'MOM' on his ass." Both women giggled. "Yes, believe it or not: MOM. And while that's certainly very sweet and all … you know, Tim wants to be a cowboy. And cowboys have something cool and certainly not mom on their ass."

Shortly following Tamara's look Abby stated: "And he has a very nice ass." That Tim didn't blush showed clearly that he was really sleeping and not only pretending.

Tamara nodded but her voice was very neutral: "Yes, he has. At least if you like those."

Not for the first time Abby's gaydar awakened and she pondered about asking Tamara, but the redhead reacted faster: "I assume you haven't any problem with my … preferences?"

Abby hurried to shake her head: "Never. I'm very … open … myself." Abby grinned.

"Good to know," Tamara responded with a playful grin before she closed her eyes.

.

The rustling of a newspaper and the angry voice of someone startled Abby from her slumber.

"What a nerve!" A young man, as far as Abby remembered a FBI agent Jeff what-so-ever, hit the paper and looked around with an angry stare. "And again the FBI obviously is unable to apprehend the vigilante … unable or unwilling, that's the question," he cited.

"What's the matter," Abby asked Tim with a whisper.

"It is about this vigilante who is killing criminals in Virginia since a nearly two years. He has killed four criminals so far. All victims had been in court because of a serious crime and all of them had been acquitted of the charge because of formal errors or because an important witness withdraw his statement."

"Oh that one, I read about him. He had been killing them with a sniper rifle and there hasn't been any evidence so far."

Jeff sighed deeply, fighting to soothe his anger. "They act as if we would enjoy his deeds."

"Don't we?" Tamara's interjection and even more her icy stare surprised Abby and Tim. "Don't you feel like vomiting if again a criminal got free because of a greasy attorney? Have you never felt like breaking the neck of a smirking criminal walking from court because a witness renounced his statement in fear about his family?"

"You don't really advocate vigilantism, Dr. Moore, I hope?" Dr. Jackson stated with an icy voice.

For some long moments all went silent and waited for her answer. At last Tamara sighed deeply: "No, certainly not. Our job is to apprehend criminals, not to judge or execute them. But sometimes … sometimes I understand … the urge to avenge a hideous act. But even then: in my opinions there is a difference between a father or husband avenging a rape or murder because he can't stand a not-guilty verdict and some vigilante such as this who obviously is out for the hunt. Even the avenging father is a criminal, but at least he has my sympathy. Sorry if that troubles you."

.

The weekend had been fantastic. Gibbs had agreed with Abby returning Monday morning and Tamara had organized a helicopter for the return flight. Deviating from the former planning they had met on Sunday evening in a nice Thai restaurant with Tamara as a nice conclusion of the weekend.

The hours with Tim had been amazing and refreshing for Abby and she smiled every time she thought about her exploration of that tattoo.

"_Tim wants to be a cowboy,"_ Tamara had claimed. Asked to explain the redhead had informed Abby about Tim's wish to become a field agent. "I think he is really good at his job and he likes brain-work. But … he misses something. He wants to be the one that catches the bad boys."

Abby understood this wish. Perhaps she should speak with Gibbs, give him some hints. At least he could invite him from time to time to participate in investigations … if the opportunity arose. _We'll see._

.

_**A/N**_

_In the series there are only hints about the affair of Tim and Abby. I wanted to give them something more._

_The Vigilante is an own storyline that I'll expand later._


End file.
